On 16 - 31 October 1941

US NAVY

16 October 1941, Thursday

ATLANTIC—Battle to protect convoy SC 48 continues. German submarines U‑502 and U‑568 reestablish contact before retiring upon arrival of TU 4.1.4 (Captain Hewlett Thebaud). Destroyer Livermore (DD‑429) sweeps ahead of the convoy, depth‑charges U‑553; destroyer Kearny (DD‑432), sweeping astern, drops charges to discourage tracking submarines. Later, U‑502 and U‑568, augmented by U‑432, U‑553, and U‑558 renew attack upon SC 48. The U‑boats commence a determined assault on SC 48 during the night of 16‑17 October.

            Destroyer Charles F. Hughes (DD‑428), while escorting convoy HX 154, rescues the only seven survivors of British freighter Hatasu (torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑431 on 2 October, 600 miles east of Cape Race), at 51°56'N, 35°58'W.

PACIFIC—Destroyers Peary (DD‑225) and Pillsbury (DD‑227) are damaged in collision during night exercises in Manila Bay P.I.

17 October 1941, Friday

PACIFIC—General Tojo Hideki becomes Japanese Premier as Konoye Government resigns.

            Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet (Admiral Husband E. Kimmel) sends two submarines to Midway and two to Wake on "simulated war patrols" (see 26 October).  

            Navy orders all U.S. merchant ships in Asiatic waters to put into friendly ports.

ATLANTIC—Battle to protect convoy SC 48 continues. SC 48 is the first U.S. Navy‑escorted convoy to engage German submarines in battle, but despite the presence of the three modern U.S. destroyers and two flush‑deckers‑‑Decatur (DD‑341) and HMCS Columbia [ex‑U.S. destroyer Haraden (DD‑183)], and four Canadian corvettes, the enemy torpedoes six ships and an escort vessel in a total elapsed time of four hours and forty‑seven minutes. U‑432 sinks Greek steamer Evros at57°00'N, 24°30'W, Panamanian steamer Bold Venture and Norwegian motor tanker Barfonn at 56°58'N, 25°04'W; U‑558 sinks British tanker W.C. Teagle at 57°00'N, 25°00'W, and Norwegian steamship Rym at 57°01'N, 24°20'W. U‑553 sinks Norwegian steamer Erviken at 56°10'N, 24°30'W, and conducts unsuccessful approach on destroyer Plunkett (DD‑431). Destroyer Kearny (DD‑432) is torpedoed by U‑568 southwest of Iceland, 57°00'N, 24°00'W; 11 of Kearny’s crew are killed, 22 injured (see 18 October). Soon thereafter, U‑101 torpedoes and sinks British destroyer HMS Broadwater [ex‑U.S. destroyer Mason (DD‑191)], at 57°01'N, 19°08'W. Lost on board the British flush‑decker are two survivors from Ervinger and nine from W.C. Teagle. Escorted by Greer (DD‑145), the damaged Kearny proceeds to Hvalfjordur, Iceland. There she will undergo repairs alongside repair ship Vulcan (AR‑5) and eventually return to the United States. Iceland‑based PBYs (VP 73) arrive to provide air coverage for SC 48.

            Destroyer Charles F. Hughes (DD‑428) and Gleaves (DD‑423), while screening convoy HX 154, depth‑charge suspicious contacts at 54°40'N, 33°59'W, and 54°40'N, 33°59'W (see 19 October).

18 October 1941, Saturday

ATLANTIC—PBY (VP 73) drops package containing blood plasma and transfusion gear for use in treating the wounded on board Kearny (DD‑432); Monssen (DD‑435) retrieves the package but the gear becomes disengaged and sinks. PBM (VP74) repeats the operation a few hours later; this time the drop is successful and Monssen retrieves the medical supplies intact. Destroyers Plunkett (DD‑431), Livermore (DD‑429) and Decatur (DD‑341), meanwhile, make concerted depth charge attacks on sound contacts at 54°53'N, 33°08'W with no visible results. German submarines break off operations against SC 48.

19 October 1941, Sunday

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Charles F. Hughes (DD‑428) and Gleaves (DD‑423), while screening convoy HX 154, depth‑charge suspicious contacts at 59°58'N, 23°15'W, and 60°00'N, 23°20'W, and 59°57'N, 22°41'W.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Lehigh is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑126 about 75 miles off Freetown, Sierre Leone, 08°26'N, 14°37'W. While there are no fatalities, four men are slightly injured.

20 October 1941, Monday

ATLANTIC—PBYs (VP 73) provide air coverage for convoy ON 26.

22 October 1941, Wednesday

PACIFIC—Battleships Oklahoma (BB‑36) and Arizona (BB‑39) are damaged in collision in Hawaiian Operating Area.

25 October 1941, Saturday

ATLANTIC—TF 14 (Rear Admiral H. Kent Hewitt), formed around carrier Yorktown (CV‑5) (VF 42, VB 5, VS 5 and VT 5), battleship New Mexico (BB‑40), light cruisers Savannah (CL‑42) and Philadelphia (CL‑41), and nine destroyers, departs Portland, Maine, to escort a convoy ("Cargo") of British merchantmen.

            TU 4.1.3 (Commander Richard E. Webb) escorts convoy HX 156; destroyer Hilary P. Jones (DD‑427) carries out depth charge attacks on suspicious contact but, after spying a school of porpoises, ceases fire.

            South and Northeast Greenland Patrols are merged and renamed Greenland Patrol; it is designated as TG 24.8 of the Atlantic Fleet.

26 October 1941, Sunday

PACIFIC—Submarines Narwhal (SS‑168) and Dolphin (SS‑169) arrive off Wake Island on simulated war patrols.

27 October 1941, Monday

ATLANTIC—TU 4.1.6 (Commander George W. Johnson) screens convoy ON 28. During the day, destroyers DuPont (DD‑152) and Sampson (DD‑394) each carry out two depth charge attacks against suspected U‑boat contacts.

            Destroyer Hilary P. Jones (DD‑427) is damaged by heavy seas while screening convoy HX 156.

29 October 1941, Wednesday

ATLANTIC—TU 4.1.3 (Commander Richard E. Webb) escorts convoy HX 156; destroyer Hilary P. Jones (DD‑427) carries out depth charge attack on suspicious contact.

            TU 4.1.6 (Commander George W. Johnson) screens convoy ON 28. During the day, destroyers Lea (DD‑118), DuPont (DD‑152), MacLeish (DD‑220), and Sampson (DD‑394) depth charge suspected U‑boat contacts.

30 October 1941, Thursday

ATLANTIC—Oiler Salinas (AO‑19), in convoy ON 28, is torpedoed by German submarine U‑106 about 700 miles east of Newfoundland. Only one of Salinas's crew is injured. TU 4.1.6 (Commander George W. Johnson), screening ON 28, attacks sound contacts; destroyer Bernadou (DD‑153) carries out five depth charge attacks and fires at what was most likely German submarine U‑67, forcing her to submerge; DuPont (DD‑152) carries out three depth charge attacks; MacLeish (DD‑220) and Sampson (DD‑394) one apiece. Lea (DD‑118) escorts Salinas (which will reach port under her own power); they will be joined en route by Coast Guard cutter Campbell and tug Cherokee (AT‑66).

            TU 4.1.1 (Captain Marion Y. Cohen) contacts MOMP‑bound convoy HX 157 at 45°43'N, 55°37'W. The convoy will not be attacked by U‑boats (see 1 November).

31 October 1941, Friday

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Reuben James (DD‑245), while escorting 42‑ship convoy HX 156, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑552 off western Iceland, 51°59'N, 27°05'W; 115 men are killed. No merchantmen in HX 156 are attacked. Despite the heavy oil slick in the vicinity and the need to investigate sound contacts, destroyer Niblack (DD‑424) rescues 36 men (one of whom dies of wounds on 2 November); Hilary P. Jones (DD‑427) picks up 10. The loss of Reuben James, the first U.S. naval vessel to be lost to enemy action in World War II, proves a temporary detriment to Navy recruiting efforts.

            TU 4.1.6 (Commander George W. Johnson), screening ON 28, carries out vigorous attacks on sound contacts: destroyer Babbitt (DD‑128) carries out two, while Buck (DD‑420), DuPont (DD‑152) (which is attacked by U‑boat but missed), Leary (DD‑158) and Sampson (DD‑394) one attack apiece.